KIGALI — Rwanda’s national team, Amavubi, beat Estonia 2–0 in the FIFA Series 2026 Group A final, capping a memorable night at a packed Amahoro Stadium on Monday, March 30th, 2022.
Rwanda went into halftime with a 1–0 lead after Algerian Premier League side Entente Sportive Sétifienne striker Abeddy Biramahire opened the scoring in the 30th minute after tapping in a cross from two times Azerbaijan Premier League third place finishers Karvan winger Joy Slayd Mickels, who had been set up by his brother, Jacques Leroy Mickels to ignite celebrations across the stands.
In the 51st minute, Mickels turned from provider to scorer, unleashing a powerful strike that beat Estonia’s Kaur Kivila to double Rwanda’s advantage and put the hosts firmly in control.
Captain and Algerian club CS Constantine defensive midfielder Djihad Bizimana played a key role in the buildup, combining with United States League Championship club Rhode Island FC midfielder Jojea Kwizera from a corner before setting up Jacques Leroy Mickels, who calmly finished to score his second goal of the FIFA Series 2026 campaign.
German born Rwandese midfielder Jacques Leroy Mickels was voted as the Man Of The Match (MOTM)
With a goal and an assist in the final, Rwanda midfielder the German born Jacques Leroy Mickels who plays for Azerbaijan Premier League club Zira was voted as the Man Of The Match (MOTM).
Backed by a passionate home crowd and watched by President Paul Kagame, Amavubi turned a historic fixture against European opposition into a defining victory.
This edition of the FIFA Series 2026 will go down as one of Rwanda’s most successful sporting milestones, setting a benchmark for future large-scale events.
By hosting teams from across the globe and delivering masterful performances on the pitch, Rwanda has shown it possesses both the world-class infrastructure and the competitive spirit needed to stage major international tournaments.
Dominant scorelines, like the 4–0 semifinal triumph over Grenada and this victory against Estonia, are no longer exceptions but the expected outcome of a system built to succeed.
